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The return of private newspapers in Myanmar after an absence of almost five decades has triggered envy and frustration among Chinese citizens who are wondering whether China, with its tight media controls, will ever follow suit.

After Chinese newspaper Beijing Times reported [zh] that the four private newspapers in Myanmar sold out as soon as they hit the news stands on 1 April, 2013, other Chinese media outlets picked up on the story, triggering a lively debate on China's most popular social media platforms.

A small step for private newspapers, a giant leap for a country's democracy.

Most commentators, however, expressed frustration with China's own media censorship. “Xianshi Wangtian” wrote [zh]:

向缅甸人民祝贺，我国宪法规定中国公民也有自办报刊的权利，不知什么时候中国公民能依法自办报刊，这也是中国梦，何时成真？

Congratulations to the people of Myanmar. The constitution in our country also says that Chinese citizens have the right to run their own papers, but when can Chinese citizens have the right according to the law? This is also the Chinese dream, when will it come true?

After dozens of years of reform and opening, we can't even beat Myanmar or Vietnam, maybe after two more years, we will be even more backward than Cuba, perhaps there would only be North Korea left for us to compare.